Reduce The Inflammation And Soothe The Itch
All cats that suffer from allergic skin disease are very itchy. At the first visit, your veterinarian may prescribe corticosteroids, such as prednisone, to alleviate the itch and inflammation in the skin.
For all skin diseases, bathing your cat can help to reduce inflammation and soothe their skin. Since most cats dont like baths, you may want to try a product like a mousse or a dry shampoo for cats that can clean your cat while avoiding water. Ask your veterinarian to recommend the right product for your cat.
Cat Dander And Other Causes Of Cat Allergy Symptoms
Many cat allergies are triggered by dander the flakes of dead skin shed by cats and other furry pets.
Unlike cat hairs, dander isn’t typically visible, but it can accumulate in a home settling on the walls, carpets and soft furnishings as it does so.
Saliva is also known to be a trigger. Cats are known for their meticulous self-grooming they lick themselves a lot and their saliva contains a protein called Fel d 1 that causes cat allergies3. This protein transfers on to their skin and coat when they groom themselves. Then, over time, the saliva and proteins build up on the cat’s skin and hair, before flaking off with the cat dander as they grow.
- Some felines produce more Fel d 1 than others, which might explain why some people with cat allergies react to certain cats more seriously
- It may also explain why kittens don’t always trigger allergies, as they don’t do as much self-grooming
What Are The Symptoms Of Allergies In Cats
Just like us, cats can be allergic to various things in their environment. The most common allergic reactions occur because of a sensitivity to environmental substances , flea bites, or certain foods. For example, one of my cats is allergic to chicken, so I have to ensure I avoid feeding her foods that could cause an allergic reaction.
When your feline comes into contact with an allergen, its body tries to get rid of the substance as quickly as possible. This is what causes the variety of symptoms associated with allergies.
The most commonly occurring symptoms in cats include:
- Itchy, watery eyes
- Vomiting and/or diarrhea
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Owning A Cat When You Have Allergies
Before deciding you cannot have a cat, check with your doctor first and pinpoint exactly what causes your allergy.
If you or someone you live with is allergic to cats, you may think that you can never own one however, this is far from the truth. The benefits of having a pet usually outweigh the drawbacks of pet allergies for many people. Youâd be surprised to know how many people, with non-life-threatening allergies, live with pets despite having allergies to them! There are several ways to manage your cat allergies and if you, like many other people, prefer not to be tied down to a regimen of drugs and sprays, it is still possible to own your very own furry companion.
Any and all cats and dogs may cause reactions for people who are allergic to animals. Cats tend to cause more reactions than dogs for allergic people, although some people are more sensitive to dogs than cats. Contrary to popular belief, there are no ânon-allergenicâ breeds of dogs or cats even hairless breeds may cause symptoms.
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Clinical Signs Of Allergies
If the cat is truly allergic to a particular food, there will likely be an increase in clinical signs, such as itching and inflamed skin. If these appear, further testing will be needed to determine which specific ingredients trigger the allergy symptoms.
We offer cat foods that can help with a variety of allergy problems. We hope this information helps you improve your cats health.
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Prognosis For Cats With Allergies
Dealing with allergies can be an ongoing challenge for cat owners, especially if the allergen is impossible to remove . If the trigger is not completely eliminated, then some cats can be kept more comfortable with medication and may only suffer seasonally. An extreme allergic reaction, called anaphylaxis, can be fatal.
Does My Cat Have Allergies Or A Cold
As youve probably noticed by now, there is much overlap in the symptoms caused by allergies and cat colds. For example, it is common to see a cat coughing but no hairball being brought up in both conditions. Likewise, both colds and allergies cause sneezing, wheezing, and watery eyes. So, how can you tell which your cat is dealing with?
In some cases, your feline may show symptoms only associated with one of the two conditions. For example, if your cat has a fever and is lethargic, it is probably suffering from a cold, as allergies do not affect body temperature.
However, I have listed below the three easier ways you can use to tell colds and allergies apart:
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Cat Environmental & Seasonal Allergies
Environmental allergies mean your cat is allergic to pollen , molds, dust, mildew, dander, dust mites, or other inhaled allergens. The list of potential allergens is very long, and varies depending on which plants are found in your climate.
Usually, symptoms occur due to inhaling these allergens, but direct skin contact with allergens can also cause symptoms. Just like environmental allergies in humans, symptoms tend to be seasonal. But symptoms may worsen and become year-round over time.
Commonly environmental or seasonal allergies are inherited, in which case its known as atopy.
Causes Of Allergies In Cats
As the College of Veterinary Medicine at The Ohio State University says, âan allergy is a reaction that occurs when the bodyâs natural defenses overreact to a foreign substance called an allergen.â When the body is exposed to a substance it registers as bad, the immune system kicks into high gear to release histaminesway too many histamines.
Histamines are naturally occurring chemicals in your body, but too many of them can cause your cat discomfort in the form of inflammation, itchiness, and swelling. Both male and female cats of all ages and breeds can develop an allergy throughout their lives, and some cats may be born with a genetic predisposition to react to allergens.
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Food Allergy Questions To Ask Your Veterinarian:
What Exactly Are Allergies
As in people, allergies occur in cats when their body develops a sensitivity to something in their environment. As the body’s defenses go into ‘overdrive,’ a variety of symptoms show up. The type of symptoms that manifest depends on the cause of the allergies, which can be categorized into three main types: environmental allergies , flea allergies, and food allergies. It is not unusual for cats to have more than one allergy at a time, so your primary vet or veterinary dermatologist should examine and diagnose your pet.
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Symptoms Of Flea/parasitic Allergies Can Include:
- Excessive itching and licking: Similarly to atopic dermatitis and food allergies, a cat with flea/parasitic allergies will also excessively itch or scratch their skin. This intense itching or scratching will occur whenever the cat is bitten by a flea.
- Sores, crusts, bumps: Sores, crusts, and bumps can be a result of the excessive itching and licking of the skin.
- Hair loss, not only limited to the tail base: A cat with a flea/parasitic allergy will experience hair loss around their tail base, neck, and head.
- Swollen lower lip: A swollen lower lip is another common symptom of flea/parasitic allergies in cats that you should look out for.
Do Cats Have Allergies
Cat owners often arent aware that felines regularly experience allergies, just like humans do. Different breeds of cats are prone to different types of allergies and symptoms. There are a few key things to note when trying to tell if something is impacting your cat. When a cat experiences allergies, their immune system is susceptible to the substances that surround them. Even everyday materials in their environment can feel threatening.
When your cats body starts to work against these threats, certain signs begin to become apparent. For you to get your cat feeling healthy, check to see if theyre experiencing the following symptoms.
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Cat Allergy And Newborns
If you are bringing home a newborn, keep your baby and cats apart for the first three months. Cats like soft cozy places to sleep, and babies sleep a lot in the beginning, so it is tempting for a cat to cuddle up in the bassinet. If your baby is premature , you need to be extra-careful to keep the cat away from your baby. A neonates immature lungs cannot cope with the irritating allergens produced by a cat.
Can A Cat Be Allergic To Litter
Yes, a cat can absolutely be allergic to litter, especially if the litter has a lot of dust or fragrance in it. Its important to read your cats litter ingredients carefully so that you can identify any possible allergens that may make your kitty sick. Fragrance-free and minimal dust litters are always a better option to use.
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When To See A Vet About Your Cats Allergies
If youve done everything to reduce your cats exposure toseasonal allergens, and youre still seeing signs of irritation, schedule avisit to a vet to discuss possible medications or rule out other issues like aninfection or immune deficiency.
Sometimes a few lifestyle changes can be the differencebetween a sneezy feline and a happy, healthy cat! Looking for more cat care tips?Get advice from our team of experts or even submit cat care questions to Dear Tabby forpersonalized answers.
What Causes Cat Sneezing
Cat sneezing can be surprisingly difficult to diagnose, for several reasons. First, your veterinarian will need to confirm that your cat is actually sneezing.
Coughing, gagging, reverse sneezing, hiccupping, retching, and wheezing can all be misidentified as a sneeze, and each of these symptoms come with a separate list of possible causes.
Take a video of your cat during an episode to help your vet confirm whether it really is a sneeze.
Another obstacle in diagnosing cat sneezing is the plethora of underlying causes. Infections, chronic inflammation, dental disease, cancer, and inhalation of foreign material can all cause a cat to sneeze.
Further complicating matters is the fact that in cats, more than one of these causes is usually going on at the same time.
Here are some of the possible causes for sneezing in cats.
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What Are Food Allergies Or Food Intolerance
Food allergies / intolerance are caused by a reaction to a particular ingredient, which is usually a protein. Sometimes referred to as an adverse reaction to food, it is defined as an abnormal response to a food or food additive. There are two classes of adverse reactions: those in which the immune system is involved and those that occur without an immune component .
Allergies may last a lifetime so the ingredient must be permanently removed from your cats food.
Get A Professional Veterinary Opinion
Finally, we have the most accurate way of determining if your cat has allergies or a cold: get a professional opinion from your vet. I think this is the only way to know for sure what condition you are dealing with, as your vet can run a series of tests that will give your feline an official diagnosis.
To diagnose a cat cold, your vet must identify which bacteria or virus is responsible. Cell samples taken from your kittys eyes, nose, or throat usually reveal the cause if it is viral, while a conjunctival scraping can be used to identify a bacterial infection.
When testing for an allergy, blood or skin tests will be carried out instead. Blood tests involve a sample of your cats blood being taken and thoroughly examined in a lab. For a skin test, a possible allergen will be injected just under the skin. If a hive appears, your feline is allergic to that substance.
These tests are very effective and may be used together to work out what is causing your cats symptoms. Based on their finding, your vet can then work to improve their unpleasant symptoms.
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How Is Atopy Treated
Treatment depends largely on the length of the cat’s allergy season. It involves one of two approaches:
- The first approach involves the use of corticosteroids , as well as improving the health of the hair and skin coat using spot-ons, sprays and/or shampoos. Steroids will dramatically block the allergic reaction in most cases and bring about rapid improvement in the cat’s clinical signs. Steroids may be given orally or by injection, depending on the cat’s condition. If steroids are appropriate for your cat, you will be instructed in their proper use.
- Treatment with antihistamines and essential fatty acids is variable. Some cats respond well to a particular antihistamine , while others are ineffective. It is important to understand that it can take up to 7-10 days before antihistamines become effective, therefore they are often infective in sudden flare-ups. Likewise, essential fatty acids are similarly ineffective during sudden episodes because they require several weeks to take effect. Cats predisposed to atopic dermatitis should be tried on fatty acid supplements to see if they help lessen future flare-ups and clinical signs.
Any cat suspected of having atopic dermatitis should also be considered for a hypoallergenic food trial. Many cats with atopic dermatitis are also allergic to an ingredient in their food, making diagnosis and treatment more challenging. As previously mentioned, this food trial should last 8 to 12 weeks in most cases.
Treatment For Allergies To Cats
Medications and natural remedies for cat allergies can help relieve symptoms, or remove the dander and saliva particles that could be triggering your reaction in the first place.
Your doctor may recommend you take regular antihistamines or decongestants as a symptomatic treatment for your allergy to cats4. If over-the-counter medications don’t help, they may also suggest you try immunotherapy5.
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Get Help For Cat Food Allergies In Gilbert Arizona
A proper diet is very important for a happy and healthy cat. The right food keeps a cat energized and provides the vital nutrients their body needs to flourish. If your cat has a food allergy, switching them to a diet that doesnt hurt them is very important.
Worried your feline companion is showing signs of cat food allergy symptoms? Call Anasazi Animal Clinic today at 480-497-0505 to make an appointment.
What Is A Food Allergy
A food allergy refers to an adverse reaction caused by the immune system to a specific protein found within food. Although we understand the mechanism by which food allergies occur in cats, it is not known why they occur. It is not yet determined why some cats develop food allergies and others do not.
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Diagnosing And Treating Allergies In Cats
To diagnose allergies in cats, a veterinary dermatologist can look over your pets medical history and perform a physical exam. In some cases, a test can be performed to look for environmental allergies. If your veterinarian believes that the allergy is food related, they may want to narrow down the cause by changing your pets diet until they eliminate the problem food.
When it comes to battling allergies, in some cases, the best thing that you can do for your cat is focus on prevention. If your cat has allergies to cleaners, medications, foods, plants, or other things that are avoidable, try to keep them away from these items. For things like pollen or dust, your cat may need medication to treat the allergies, because these things are very hard to avoid.
Treating allergies can be complicated if the source of the allergies cant be determined. It may take some time with a veterinary dermatologist to find the source of your cats allergies.
How Do I Know If I Have A Cat Allergy
Although the symptoms of a cat allergy may seem fairly obvious, it’s not always the cat that causes them. It’s a good idea to get confirmation from your doctor. After all, you wouldn’t want to blame Mr. Whiskers unjustly.
Your doctor can do a skin or blood test to see if you’re allergic. However, allergy tests aren’t always correct the doctor may also want you to try living without a cat for a few months to see how it affects your allergy symptoms.
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Testing For Cat Food Allergies
If your cat is still itchy after treating their infection and using a monthly flea preventive, the next step is to test for a food allergy. Unlike people, there is no blood test for food allergies in cats. To figure out if your cat has an allergy to food, your veterinarian will prescribe either a novel protein diet or a hypoallergenic diet.
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A novel protein diet is one with a protein source that your cat has never had before. Venison, rabbit, and duck are common novel protein sources.
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A hypoallergenic diet is a food in which the protein source is broken down into small molecular pieces so that the body can no longer recognize it as a protein. Think of a puzzle that has an image of a pirate ship. When you take the puzzle apart, you can no longer see the pirate ship.
To diagnose a food allergy, your cat will need to be on the prescribed diet for a minimum of two months without eating anything but that diet. If the diet trial is effective, the next step is to add a new protein source to the food for one to two weeks.
If there is no reaction, we can assume that protein is not causing the allergy if there is a reaction, we know that your cat is allergic to that protein and it must be avoided. Occasionally, some cats must stay on the prescription diet for life to manage their food allergy.
